


Beautiful Symmetries

by Maldoror_Chant



Series: Beautiful Symmetries [1]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst and Humor, Eventual Threesome, M/M, Multi, POV First Person, Preventer missions in the background, Wufei POV, grumpy Wufei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 03:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12380367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maldoror_Chant/pseuds/Maldoror_Chant
Summary: Neither the war nor Treize had had the decency to finish me off. Adrift without a battle or an enemy to fight, I may have made some, shall we say, ill-considered decisions. Fortunately I survived the Peace in much the same way I had survived the War. As a Preventer, I could still be useful, I could still fight for a good cause and justify my survival. Best of all, I could do so as a solo operative, an independence that suited my solitary nature down to the ground.And thenthose twoshowed up in my life again, needing a partner.It'd been a few months since my life had last gone to hell in a hand-basket. I guess I was past due.





	1. 1 Solitary Dragon

Then the war ended, and I was still alive.

What a disaster.

In my ideal world, though I don't admit this out loud even to myself, Treize and I were supposed to die at each other's hands. Beautiful symmetry. Peace at last. End of story.

Can't even count on your enemies these days...

I don't care to think too much about the months that followed. It was like my brain had been set on fire. The whole Mariameia thing was all a blur. But I was aware of what I was doing. I can't claim to have been, I don't know, shell-shocked or something. Perhaps a little, but I refuse to hide from what I did, the path I chose. I made my decision with eyes wide open and for many a good reason - and I'm damned if I can make sense of them now. But everything was burning; it was like I was seeing my colony explode every time I closed my eyes, felt Meiran's last sigh searing my neck each time I lay down to sleep.

Victory was supposed to make it better. But I was fighting for justice for the dead, the only way things were going to get better for me was to die in the accomplishment of victory, and _fuck_ Treize for being such a selfish bastard anyway.

So I burned and I burned and I did things that made sense only in the heat of the crucible that was recasting me into something that I hoped made some sense, something that could live in the Hereafter, something that could get past the dead.

The fire burned out when I saw Heero plummet to earth, felled by my blow which he didn't even try to dodge. His words echoing in my ears. Whatever I did, whatever I became, the dead would stay dead, and it was never going to get better.

Heero survived and I was the one to die in that moment, and then become slowly reborn in a fragile shell of hope.

I joined the Preventers for several reasons, a hefty dose of guilt being certainly one of them. Also the love of action, of challenge, and because it was something that was at least partly familiar. I could do this. I'd been a terrorist so I could probably take them down too. And so my new life lay before me, breathtaking in its possibilities.

And that's when my troubles really began.

 

 

It was a few months after I'd started my new life. Things had been going very well. Or at least I thought so. Sally tended to disagree, but she could be a silly, over-protective woman sometimes. So what if I didn't make any friends among the few people we worked with? There were no rules or regulations in the Preventer codes that said I had to be a party animal. I happened to prefer spending my free time reading or catching up on my studies; I was idly working on a master's degree in Asian literature in my spare time, and this took up most of it to my quiet contentment. Especially since I could do it by correspondence, which avoided classrooms and student gatherings and such. Sally got that funny look in her eyes when I mentioned that, and I quickly invented something to do to get away from her for awhile, which wasn't hard, we were very busy. I didn't want her to go into mother hen mode again.

Sally was really the only person I needed to get along with, being my partner, and it so happened that I did. It was a strange relation, and it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. Sally tended to seesaw between the over-protective big sister and the admiring junior colleague. I remained consistent - I believe it's one of my qualities - in being a misanthropic hard-assed ex-terrorist with a short temper and a habit of perfectionism that Sally managed to admire instead of finding tiresome. She kept seeing this as part of my whole 'Gundam Pilot' perfection. I think she had just a little bit of hero-worship in her approach to our partnership. But it allowed her to put up with some of my less endearing qualities (I'm not like Maxwell, I do lie when it suits me, but I try to be honest with myself. Most of the times).

So we did some stellar work, cracked some serious cases, doused nasty fires, and all in all I had some meaning to my existence. Whenever Sally started clucking about 'making friends' or 'meeting people' or 'I know this nice girl who-' I found something else to concentrate on until she was finished. It was a good time.

And then she had to go ruin it all.

If I were tied to a rack and tortured with red-hot irons, I would confess that I was happy for her. I liked the man she'd chosen. He was no weakling; he'd been the head of one of the better organized resistance factions in China. He was tall, well-build, charismatic, he could handle hundred of men with confidence, and swing up and fire a land-to-air missile launcher single-handed.

Didn't stop him from wilting like a debutante at her first ball when I caught him kissing Sally after our mission in Shanghai. Granted, I was giving him the down-the-nose you-are-lower-than-dirt glare that had been known to douse even Maxwell's enthusiasm for all of five minutes, and a lesser man would have fainted or ran away screaming.

We quickly got a few things straight. Sally was very surprised to get a marriage proposal so soon, and I don't think she ever guessed why, but I didn't feel bad; he was a good and honorable man, it would have happened sooner or later anyway. Of course I made sure this was right, and that Sally was really happy about this. Then I pulled some strings and got her the offer for a top job in the military hospital and research facility in Beijing.

I had no qualms while I reassured Sally I was fine; none when I walked her down the aisle, or when I gave the guy a few last minute threats to make sure he treated her right - I had no real doubts about it but I felt it had to be said, and he was probably expecting it. I was fine while I watched them leave for their honeymoon, then ran to pack my bags and leave myself. I had a mission in the Burmese jungle, hunting down weapon's traders. A tough assignment, but I was feeling on top of the world. Sally could and did take care of herself, but she just wasn't in my league. She knew exactly what to do, the risks to take and to avoid, we had worked well together, but this mission would have pushed her hard. I was much better off doing it on my own. I was much better off _on_ my own.

Une, however, disagreed. 

I gripped the phone as if I could strangle the orders coming from the other end.

"What?! A new partner? But I said-"

"And _I_ said that I've been reviewing the mission parameters you outlined - the ones you so artfully downplayed-"

"Uh? I didn't-"

"Oh please! Respect my intelligence, Chang. The first time I read through this pile of hogwash you sent me, it sounded like a vacation on a beach resort somewhere. I had to make sure I hadn't gotten my hands on Sally's honeymoon plans by mistake."

"Commander I assure you -"

"Spare me. In fact that's where you messed up. You made this jungle hunt sound so mild that I got second thoughts; the Gundam Pilots I know don't go for such easy missions. So I reread it more carefully - very well done, by the way, you have a future in our PR department. Which is where you're going to end up if you continue bitching about this. I've assigned a partner to you."

"I don't want a new partner!"

"It's only for this mission, Chang. You are not tossing the Burmese jungle upside down trying to find a heavily guarded weapons depot on your tod, so get over it!"

"But-"

"Your partner should arrive any minute now, and I'm sure-"

I didn't hear the rest. Une understood Gundam pilots. She had several under her orders. She knew we will follow her directives and ace her missions, but we don't fit in the whole chain of command environment. So I'm sure the stream of Mandarin that erupted from the phone before I slammed down the receiver didn't faze her too much. Mandarin is a great language to swear in, particularly when your boss has only a small grasp of it.

I continued swearing as I swept the phone off the nightstand, a futile gesture. Since she'd given me a direct order, I would have to go through with it and that's all that mattered to her. She was a wise one. Une may be an old enemy, but there was no one else I'd rather work for. Could work for, probably, with my attitude.

I felt a flash of, well, almost guilt as the buzzer to the Preventer apartment I was currently living in rang at that point. That would be the partner. Soon to become a snowflake in the renown Chang Wufei temper firestorm. None of this was his or her fault, but that wasn't going to stop me from making life excruciating for the unknown agent on the other side of that door.

I wrenched the door open and my mouth lost the biting words I was about to deliver in a startled hiss of surprise.

Heero... Yuy...

We stared at each other for a few split seconds - an eternity for men with our reflexes and fast reaction times. I think he was a bit startled at the violence with which I had opened the door and the glare I had given him before I recognized the messy chocolate hair and blue eyes behind the Preventer uniform. As for me...I hadn't spoken to Heero since _that_ incident. The one where I almost killed him. I hadn't seen him since. For a second there an old set of emotions resurfaced, and I completely forgot about Burma, partners, Preventers and missions and just wondered if he'd finally found the time in his busy schedule to come and kill me.

"Chang?" Well, no, not quite a question, but a greeting with a 'I'm not here to fight, but if you start something I'll damn well finish it, and you are _aware_ of that, right?' sort of nuance to it.

"Yuy," I said, digging well into my reserves of 'cold, disdainful bastard' to try not to appear too much of an idiot in front of this man for whom, to be honest, I had very, very mixed emotions, ones I'd avoided as carefully as I'd avoided Heero himself.

"Come in, please," I added with the politeness ingrained into me as the heir to a now-deceased clan. That cold courtesy and the arrogance that goes with it come easily to me. It's something I use when I'm uncertain about things. I don't do 'uncertain'. I detest the feeling.

Heero walked in slowly, those piercing blue eyes on me as if still not entirely sure of his welcome. I winced internally - not a twitch on my face of course - as I realized my bloody temper had put me at fault with someone I'd rather not offend.

"Sorry for-" I gestured abruptly at the door. "I was expecting-"

Then I finally registered the uniform, the duffel-bag, the walking boots, the knapsack with tent and sleeping bag on his back. As Maxwell would say...duh!

I closed the door carefully while I organized my thoughts rapidly, trying to appear calm and collected.

"I was expecting someone else. Never mind. So, you're to be my partner for this mission?"

"Yes. Is that alright?"

I tried not to gape at the man. Was that alright? The Preventers were still a very new organisation; most of its recruits were fresh out of the academy, making them three to five years older than me, which took some adjusting to on both sides. My mind went back to the first and last partner that Une had assigned me when Sally had traitorously decided to take a -pah!- holiday. Name was Anderson. Peterson. Jackson? -Son something. Which was appropriate, his only accomplishment to date having been to be born, as far as I can tell. The reason I didn't remember his name -my memory was normally excellent- was because I made him cry and call in sick two hours after we started working together.

So who would I prefer to take on this mission, a bumbling incompetent half-witted desk-jockey of a Preventer fresh out of the academy, or the perfect soldier, the only man in the Earth Sphere and space who can match me point for point, and maybe even outclass me on a few? Hmm let me think. Tough one.

Being the man I was, I didn't actually say all this out loud. Instead I said: "It will have to do."

Maybe Sally was right. Maybe I should work on my people skills. But then again, this was Heero Yuy, and that was maybe the one point where I did outclass him. Which was a scary thought. So he took what I said at face value, nodded and sat down, sweeping books and magazines from the coffee table to lay out maps and the ever-present laptop, to start getting on with the mission without further talking or delay.

Heero Yuy was all about efficiency. I wasn't surprised to find myself in a chopper an hour later, and on the first lap of our journey half a day after that. It was great, I hardly had to take care of a thing. Yuy was an even greater perfectionist than I was. I felt a momentary regret Sally wasn't with us, so she could appreciate the fact I had shown some restraint with her. There was just nothing for me to correct or fix. It was refreshing.

Soon we found ourselves sitting in front of our tent and a small fire. The night quickly fell over the jungle like the sun had been shot out of the sky.

We had hardly exchanged a word in the last twenty-four hours, apart from essential mission details. Another refreshing change. But there was something about the humid night, the darkness of the jungle around us, the industrial-strength insect noises echoing from the underbrush, which made the mood strangely open.

"I could have done this mission by myself," I said, just to establish the fact at the outset.

"Hn." It was an agreement. He poked the fire and added: "Thank you for letting me team up with you."

I leaned back on one hand and let the other discreetly pinch the tender part of my sides. No, I wasn't dreaming. I was really sitting in a Burmese jungle with Heero Yuy, the man I'd nearly killed, thanking me for 'letting' him come with me. Maybe I was coming down with malaria...

"I should be thanking you," I muttered, the shock shaking the words loose. "Who knows who Une would have partnered me with otherwise."

"Hn." I pinched myself again, but yes, that had been the ghost of a smile that flashed across his firm lips. I didn't think he knew what those muscles were for. "You don't want to know. Fortunately Une asked for my opinion on this assignment - you write a very interesting mission outline, by the way."

I waved away a mosquito to hide the fact I'd winced.

"I suggested to Commander Une that I partner you for the mission, once she realized it wasn't going to be quite as easy as your outline indicated," Heero added calmly.

My side was getting quite sore from all the pinching. Heero had wanted to be my partner? Well, either he really had forgiven me for the Mariameia mess, or he was waiting to get further out into the jungle to better bury the body. Probably the former.

"How about Maxwell?"

I cursed myself before the words were even fully out of my mouth. That was the last question I wanted to ask.

Winner insisted on keeping me updated on the lives of all the Gundam pilots and their friends. He always cc-ed Sally on those e-mails, since she was one of those friends, so I couldn't just delete the things when I saw them appear in my mailbox. Sally would be reviewing all the gossip with me whether I wanted to or not, and she'd go into major mother-hen mode if she knew I wasn't really interested in Winner's little resumés.

So I knew that Heero had given up his job as Relena's protector once her security system was up to the task, and had joined the Preventers with Maxwell as his partner, though the latter was freelance and only worked occasionally. I also knew that Yuy and Maxwell were living together. I'd reread that e-mail until I could recite it in my sleep, that was how surprising that news was. There just weren't greater opposites than the perfect soldier and the perfect charmer. I found it hard to believe they could work together, though they'd been a formidable team during the war. I could scarcely give credence to the mind-blowing news that they were living together and hadn't yet killed one another. And of course, going as far as believing what Sally read in between the lines...She laughed and joked about it for weeks afterwards, and each time I felt as if the universe had turned upside down like a gigantic snow globe, setting the stars swirling around me. Still, as Sally said, opposites do attract. After awhile I had to reluctantly agree she was probably right, and that it even made sense.

I didn't disapprove. I mean, if they could make it work, then no problem. I had no issues with same-sex relations. In fact, sometimes I wondered, especially when Sally tried to set me up with one of her 'I know this girl' friends - but those occasions were pretty disastrous so it probably didn't count. No matter. Not relevant.

I didn't mind if pilots 01 and 02 had hooked up, but never in a thousand years did I want to hear any details! I didn't want to get involved in anyone's personal lives, particularly Heero's. Or Maxwell's. That...well, I just didn't want to.

"He's your partner," I said quickly, as Heero lifted an eyebrow at my remark. "What's he doing while you're with me?" That hadn't come out right. At all. Fortunately Heero wasn't one to pick up on things like that.

"Duo only works part-time with the Preventers," he said quietly. He was always quiet, calm, precise. It soothed me in some way I could hardly describe or admit to. "The rest of the time he spends with his friends. He helps out Hilde a lot, or he just... " He hesitated, trying to explain something that had to be totally foreign to him. "He just bums around, I think he calls it."

"Sounds like him," I sniffed.

There was that minute flash of a smile again. It was rueful and almost tender. It stirred such strange, unexpected and conflicting emotions in me that I stood up abruptly, grabbing our empty bowls and muttering something about washing up. I took two steps away - away from surprised blue eyes, away from the moment of openness we'd unexpectedly started to share - and then every biting, scratching, stinging thing on earth decided to rise out of the undergrowth and find out what we tasted like.

"Do it tomorrow!" Heero barked, his old war-time manners coming back to the fore in the face of enemy attack. "Let's get in the tent."

Inside the tent and the netting, his body was way too close to mine for comfort, which was strange. We'd never shared a bed during the war like he did with Maxwell - in fact I always slept alone- but we'd shared small spaces aboard Peacemillion and in safe-houses. It had never bothered me before. But I hadn't shot him out of the sky back then, either.

I could tell from his breathing that he was not asleep. He was on his back, and I was on my side, turned away from him, almost stuffed into the canvas of the tent to put some distance between us.

"Yuy?"

"Hn?"

"I...never said anything, but...I'm sorr-"

A hand on my shoulder had about the same effect as a cattle-prod. He pretended not to notice my reaction, he just said: "I know, Wufei." I noted the use of my first name automatically. "I..."

In that hesitation, I heard how confused he himself had been by that war which should have been so simple. How torn he was, to discover that beneath the weapon meant for mass-destruction was a young man who didn't want to kill. How he himself had not been sure of what peace was or meant. How could the ultimate instrument of war know what peace even was?

The slight pressure from his fingers on my shoulder said it. I knew he understood why I'd done what I'd done, and that forgiveness wasn't even necessary. But that if I wanted it, it was mine.

"I know," was all he said, repeating himself. No other words were needed.

I felt absolved and strangely humbled. Two more feelings that I do not deal with well. But in the humid darkness of the jungle and the intimacy of the close quarters I was able to accept them as I would not have been able to anywhere else, under any other circumstances. I hesitated, trying to find something to say, anything, but words were pitifully inadequate for what needed to be expressed. Finally I simply brushed my fingers against his as they remained lightly on my shoulder, acknowledgement and apology and gratitude and closure all at once. The fingers squeezed my shoulder again and left it, and I heard him shift and settle and then drop off to sleep as if chloroformed. Lucky bastard. I sighed silently and settled myself to try to sleep a little, a feeling of solace, of ease with this man helping me center myself and find a haven of calm into which I slipped to rest.

The next ten days were the best and the worst I'd had since the war. The best because I was at the peak, I was doing what I did best with the one man more than able to keep up with me. We hunted down those gun-runners through the logging roads and hunting trails of that jungle like tigers tracking deer. We found their hide-out and took them down with almost condescending ease. Yuy was fantastic. He was so good he didn't even have to kill any of them. I think he would have if he'd had to, but I knew he was trying to avoid killing from now on, and I respected that. With his show of excellence, I damn well had to. The looks on their faces when they realized that they'd been sent down for the count by two teenagers.

But the very perfection of the partnership only reminded me that this was a temporary thing. Heero never said anything, but I knew very well that he would be leaving to go back to the L2 branch of the Preventers, back to Duo, when this was over. In a way I was glad: I was a solitary dragon by nature, and worked just as well by myself as with others, even with this monument of perfection and efficiency. I knew that. So I was hard put to explain why I felt so...hollow at the thought of being on my own again soon. Not on my own, that wasn't the problem. Without Heero Yuy.

"It's just a bruise." Calm voice, so restful, so strong. A rampart, a fort against the tempests of life. His hands on my back made my skin tingle - the adrenaline from the battle was still making me twitchy, I thought to myself defensively.

"I was careless," I bit out, reaching for my shirt, trying to distract myself with self-directed anger.

"I hardly call that careless. You took all five of them down without unnecessary bloodshed or using your gun, that was very impressive."

I snorted, not wanting to let go of my self-flagellation. Especially since he was pressing my bare shoulders with his hands, as if trying to reassure me that- when was that bloody chopper coming to get us out of here?!

Maybe Sally was right. Maybe I needed to get out more. Yes, right after I needed a major frontal lobotomy. No, what I needed was to get laid, to put it crudely. I was really in need of that if I was starting to entertain thoughts I could barely begin to admit to about Heero Yuy. Sally was a smart woman and a good doctor. She probably knew what effect abstinence could have on someone my age in my dangerous profession. It was obvious a mental breakdown was just around the corner. Maybe that was why she was always trying to set me up. I'd never been interested before. Sally kept assuring me it was just a case of 'finding the right girl', and who knows, maybe she was right. One thing I was pretty damn sure of, the 'right girl' was not Heero Yuy.

I was almost glad the mission was ending, even if our partnership had been the most stimulating thing that had happened to me in awhile. Because I was horrified beyond words that he might guess some of the insane notions that were flitting through my mind. Heero wasn't an empath like Quatre, but he could read body language to perfection. Not that I was drooling or anything, I rather avoided all forms of physical contact as much as possible. But when I did so I still caught the occasional look, eye contact that went on a fraction longer than was normal, that I could just not explain...If he guessed the kind of thoughts going through my mind -at a dead run and without daring to linger lest I shoot them on sight- I would have had no other option than suicide. I kept that firmly in mind during the days of sharing a tent, bathing in leech-infested waters, treating each other's mosquito bites and scratches.

The chopper finally arrived, we evacuated, the partnership ended. I drove him to the shuttle-port, we shook hands without a word, two warriors content in the success of our mission. I thought I was doing well until I caught the look again, just as he was turning away.

I swung around, breaking the eye contact before he could see the feelings I was trying to deny. I didn't need a partner. Certainly, Heero was perfect. He brought out the best in me. He made me feel strong, invulnerable, safe by his side. But I could manage just as well on my own. I didn't need him. Didn't need a friend. Didn't need...

I caught a last glimpse of him in the reflection of a window as he boarded the shuttle behind me. Straight, walking slowly but surely, as if nothing in the world could make him hesitate, or doubt, or fear. Everybody else faded to pale shadows next to him.

I found myself thinking, 'Duo Maxwell is a lucky man'.

I spent the whole afternoon punching my way through as many katas as I could manage before collapsing in a near coma to erase the existence of that thought from the universe.


	2. 2's Company

It took awhile, but I managed to put it all out of my mind. I went on a few easy missions. Une had offered me a break, but I declined, I'd not needed or wanted one. What was I going to do anyway, lie on a beach somewhere and rot? Over the next few months and several successful missions, I managed to reaffirm to myself that I didn't need anybody.

But someone needed me.

Une looked like she was trying to spoon-feed broth to a hungry tiger when she approached me after I got back from one of my solo missions. I thought she wanted to saddle me with another lame-ass partner. But I let her speak, encouraged her with a nod even. It wasn't that I was hoping that Heero might have need of me for anything, but... Hell, the woman was my commander, the least I could do was listen. Right?

She took a good ten minutes getting to the point, explaining how the undercover mission was of utmost urgency and importance. That I was the only person in the world she could think of that could ride shotgun on this one. That the other person on this assignment was really the only one who could do the delicate job of infiltrating and hacking required. A full team of OZ interrogators would have taken a few weeks to get me to admit that at that point my heart jumped a little. There weren't that many people that she could be talking about.

"So who is this paragon of excellence you want me to partner?" I finally asked, a bit sharply as her unusual circumspection was getting on my nerves. I wanted to know- I just wanted to know what the hell she was on about.

Une put both hands on either side of her desk as if she were about to dodge under it, cleared her throat and said: "Duo Maxwell."

Huh. A few emotions went to the back alleys of my brain to fight it out bare fisted, but for the most part I took the news with equanimity, even a little interest. "And when do we start?"

"Wuffers! You mean you'll do it?!"

I shot out of the chair as if electrocuted as the space behind me, which I could have sworn on my life was completely empty of any threat, suddenly rang out with a well-remembered L2 accent. And the mangled remains of my name.

"Maxwell?!" I hadn't seen him since the war either, and had managed to forget how damnably good at stealth he was. There he was, larger than life, as always. A bright cheery grin on his face, gleaming prussian blue eyes, long swinging braid, hands raised in the air. Hands raised-...? That was when I realized I'd half-drawn my gun instinctively. There was a hesitant look in those normally confident eyes. It was well-hidden behind layers of brash cheer, but I caught a glimpse of it. It was something almost like hurt, and sadness. Maybe that was why someone as obtuse about other people's feelings as I was noticed it; it was such an unusual expression for Maxwell.

It was gone in a flash and I thought I'd imagined it. I still took my hand off my weapon though, relaxing, showing him that the reaction had been mainly due to surprise rather than anger.

He rubbed his nose in a well-remembered gesture and grinned. "Still a bit jumpy, are we?"

"Yes, and still allergic to anyone who doesn't have the brains to remember my name correctly."

He grinned in delight. My tone had been acid, but a lot less than usual, that is, a lot less than during the war.

"Oh I remember it, Fei, it's just I think it's so much cuter to call you Wuffers. Or Fei-fei. Or-"

"May my ancestors help me." I made a show of rolling my eyes towards the commander. "I'll partner him until he finishes the mission or until I kill him, I can't promise you more, ma'am."

Une looked hesitant, but somewhat relieved as she gave us our mission details and let us leave.

It turned out I was supposed to put the braided annoyance up for the night as well, as he'd arrived a bit late to book a hotel. The whole mission was rushed, it was probably a good thing he was staying with me; we had a lot of ground to cover before leaving the next day. We ended up reviewing the mission details, papers spread out on the kitchen counter, over a late-night take-out feast of over-salted chow-mein and tepid pizza (in a fit of madness or amnesia or both, I'd let Maxwell take charge of supper while I got the spare bed ready).

"So, Fei, I heard you still have it!"

"Have what?" I asked, puzzled. I was picking through profiles of the hackers in the ring we needed to break up before their cracker codes and viruses caused serious harm to the Earth Sphere economy.

"IT! Heero kept going on and on about that mission you were on together."

I dropped the papers, quickly picked up the empty cartons and turned to put them in the garbage. "Oh," was all I could find to say.

"Ten days in the jungle with soldier boy and you managed to do more than keep up with him. I'm impressed, and so was he! Rather you than me, man, I prefer the more civilized areas." He tapped the mission specs with a quick finger. The hacker ring was strung out in cyberspace and all over the place in real life, but they had a central cell of several key figures in a holiday resort in the L4 colony cluster. Duo had been bubbling on about the place since we started reviewing the parameters. It was a clever location; a lot of people coming and going, powerful computers dealing with the tourist trade and the casinos and shops, a lot of cash moving around, many businessmen who would pay bribe money to stop things happening to their computer systems. And a lot of opportunities to play for the more fun-loving of the ex-Gundam pilots.

"Why did Heero-" Damn it, once more the question I hadn't meant to ask. I didn't even know how to finish it or withdraw it gracefully. But Duo didn't seem to notice.

"Why's Heero not being my backup? He's on a mission with Trowa, trying to break up this mercenary gang that are playing rough back on earth. He's been gone a month already. This new problem just came up, and Une wants it dragged out into the daylight and shot before the hackers make too many friends and colleagues out in cyberspace. I don't have time to wait for Heero to come back."

He was pulling his plastic chopsticks through the gummy noodles of the chow-mein, making doodles with them, violet-blue eyes on a small shrimp curled up in a nest of soggy vegetables. "I'm rather surprised you agreed to back me up, Wuffee. Glad of course! But even Une wasn't sure she could talk you into it."

"You need backup," I snorted, my tone of voice the same as if I'd said 'you need a babysitter'. Duo grinned, his usual response to one of my barbs. He was silent for a moment, but I knew it was impossible to hurt his feelings as it was impossible to get him to say my name correctly.

I could imagine he was surprised I'd accepted. But really...I fished around for something to say as I watched the slightly bowed head, the eyes still fixed on the innocent shrimp, and felt the silence lingering.

"We were both under a lot of pressure during the war," I finally said because the silence was getting to me in a way I couldn't define. "But you were a competent ally and a fearsome fighter, and as long as you can refrain from molesting my name any more than necessary, I think we can get through this mission without too much physical violence."

His head shot up and he blinked several times, at my tone as much as my words. I'd spoken dryly but without my usual bite. I was being honest after all. The grin in response was also more forthright than any I'd gotten until then.

"I guess we can try! Say, what if I called you 'Chang'? Not much I can do with that! Besides, Heero says it's a mark of respect."

It was when Heero used it. I was damned if I could explain the unease, the slight regret that ran through me when he said that though. I fell back on my usual sniff, which I softened with a hint of smile. "Respect? From you? I should call weather report, it must be snowing in hell. Can't you manage a two-syllable word like Wufei, Max-...Duo?"

He stared at me as if I'd sprouted a second head, either because of my tone, my smile or the use of his first name - and I certainly hadn't been calling him Maxwell out of respect. Then he smiled - not grinned, smiled, and it made him look older and more...I don't know. But it suited him. We said nothing more on the subject. We didn't need to.

I was telling the truth, I didn't mind working with him. A lot of my annoyance towards him during the war had come from my own situation, it hadn't been his fault. Sure he was aggravating sometimes, but...

But in the months that had followed the war, with Sally's respectful friendship and everybody else in the Preventers acting like they were afraid of me - hell, they were afraid of me. Sometimes I thought back to the light-hearted jester who had tried to draw me out of the shell of anger and pain and self-directed hatred I'd wrapped myself in. In retrospect, I felt a bit bad at the way I'd treated him at times. Sure he was annoying but sometimes he'd been very funny and I'd still cut him down each and every time. I didn't want funny back then. I didn't want someone to help me, to alleviate my depression, to make me feel better. I'm surprised he still tried, time and time again. I'd wondered...well, since I had finally gotten my own head a bit in order, I couldn't help wonder what it would be like to meet the braided joker again. Was he really as annoying as my tainted memories suggested? Everybody else seemed to like him. Hell, what was I saying. apparently he and Yuy were lovers. That had to be proof positive that I'd overlooked a lot back then.

So I went on the mission with some curiosity. And a little trepidation. Not about Duo; I remembered quite well that however funny he was, he was still an efficient, deadly fighter and very, very serious about his missions however many jokes he cracked. My trepidation was on my own account. I'm not a people person, and Duo is. I was afraid my own short temper or black moods would get the better of me, and I'd dishonor myself by losing my temper with my partner when I should be supporting him in a difficult mission. I decided to be very careful about that.

The curiosity was to see what it was like, partnering Duo Maxwell now that we were no longer at war, no longer the damaged children of battles. And I was curious to see who this person was, that Heero Yuy could have fallen for.

We arrived at the resort as a couple of friends on spring break from university. Duo was, of course, the brilliant, personable, cool computer genius who would get the hackers, young adults themselves for the most, interested in him. I was his invisible friend who was far from cool, had no computer savvy, but kept up with him and made sure no-one stuck a knife in his back.

The Chang Wufei who had fought during the war would have self-destructed rather than have to tag along with Duo as a friend in a holiday resort, doing all the fun things that friends are supposed to do.

I do try to be honest with myself, and I had to admit, it was...fun.

Duo was a lot less of a strain than I remembered. In fact, he hadn't changed that much, it was my tolerance for his antics - which were a lot more amusing and relaxing than I remembered - which had grown. Besides, Duo's greatest efforts during the war had been to 'draw me out of my shell'. When it became established that I was now virtually shell-less, he fell back to the warm easy friendship he shared with Quatre and Trowa. And Heero, presumably, once he, like me, had opened up a bit to the endless charm and wit that seemed to flow from the braided man.

It took us only a couple of weeks to get in to the hackers' circle, in large part due to Duo's remarkable talent for infiltration. He could be anybody's best friend in less than five minutes. I must admit sometimes I was almost jealous of these people he would shower with his charm. Well, jealous was probably not the right word. I wasn't actually jealous of...forget it. Besides, I preferred working with the real Duo, who still joked and smiled and laughed and, yes, occasionally mangled my name, but had a core of steel resolve in him, of intelligence and ability that attracted me. Well, attracted was probably not the right-...Forget it.

"Sorry to leave you with the mess, Duo," I said, although of course I was in a hurry to leave now that the core cell of hackers was behind bars. Yes, I was in a hurry to get back to my routine, my solo missions, of course I was.

"No you're not!" Duo gave me his great big smile, eyes showing he wasn't criticizing me. "You know it's going to be a nightmare to untangle their encryption and files and figure out where the rest of the gang is hiding out. It'll probably take weeks! Unless I get so bored I pull a Shinigami."

"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly worried, eyes shifting to the people in the shuttle port around us.

"Oh you know, order in five pizzas, ten bottles of soda, three tubs of assorted ice-cream, then sit down and spend forty-eight hours going all out and hunting the buggers through cyberspace like rats in a maze."

"How does that qualify as being the dreaded god of death you so arrogantly claim to be?" I smirked, the barb was not serious. We'd developed a sort of play-sparring that I actually enjoyed. It challenged my wits and my tongue.

"On account of how I feel when I wake up with the bastards behind bars and my body presenting the tab. Maybe not the god of death but certainly the angel of death warmed over."

I snorted, okay it was maybe an actual laugh, and Duo's grin became feral.

"You know what I'm going to do now, right, Wufee?"

"Does it involve ice-cream?" I asked sardonically.

He opened his mouth as if about to say something, and stopped with a cheeky grin instead. He'd done that frequently over the past two weeks. I'd say something quite innocuous, at least to my ears, and he'd look like he was about to say something funny but he'd stop. Maybe he was going to make fun of me and stopped himself before he did. The thought of being mocked by Duo...felt a bit strange, almost sad. But he'd always give me the grin to erase the awkwardness of those sudden silences, and joke about something else, and use my proper name for at least an hour so...I don't know. I don't know why I cared either.

"No, it does not involve ice-cream," he said a bit heavily, his eyes turned inward as if admonishing himself. Then he smiled - and it was still breathtakingly charming, until a little devilment crept in.

My reflexes are as fast as any Gundam Pilots, but Duo Maxwell can pull off a hug even faster than Heero Yuy can draw his gun. I staggered a bit under the very unfamiliar feeling of a warm body pressing against mine and I felt a searing heat shoot through me as lips brushed my skin near my ear.

"I - Have a good trip, Wuffers!"

I was staring at a disappearing back, braid swinging madly as he ran away with his usual boundless energy. People were smiling at him even as he crossed their path, that joy was infectious. My arms felt cold where he'd hugged them, as if regretting the absence of warmth.

"Goodbye, Duo," I said, stupidly since he was halfway out of the shuttleport already.

I turned to give my ticket to the man at the counter. He was grinning, eyes warm as they rested on the spot where Duo had disappeared. They should bottle him up and sell him, I thought.

And I thought, 'Heero Yuy is a lucky man.'

I boarded the shuttle as quickly as I could and took two sleeping pills and a glass of complimentary wine. It was stupid and left me with a headache when I arrived, but let me sleep for the five hour journey without having to think about...think about anything.


	3. 3's a Crowd

I don't do 'uncertain'. Or 'confused'. I could do a very good 'depressed', but I preferred 'angry' and 'dogged' and 'bloody stubborn'.

So I didn't even think of either of them for a good month after that mission with Duo, and I could have very well lived my entire life filled with solo missions and forms in triplicate and an empty, sterile apartment, without thinking about them.

It was that blasted Une again.

"I know you prefer to work alone, Chang, but Barton is still busy, and, well, you got on so well with both of them on those last two missions, it just seems perfect. I can just imagine what the three of you can get up to together!"

Three of us together. Me working with Duo and Heero, Heero and Duo. Why didn't she just run me over with a Gundam a few times, then sit on the remains...

I felt that way because...because it was going to be embarrassing, being a third wheel. Right, that was why I didn't want to do this.

Unfortunately that wasn't going to carry much weight with my superior officer, and I couldn't think of any other reason to refuse at that point, with my mind running around in circles and my heart feeling like it was being slowly pushed through a grate, so twenty four hours later I was arriving at the L2 shuttleport wondering why my ancestors had decided to hate me.

"Wufee!" Damn it if my heart didn't manage to jump a little at that, although it was probably the fact he'd shouted it a second before I saw him and two seconds before he gave me a Duo-patented flying-tackle-hug.

"Super to see you again!" He turned and tugged me towards the exit. I saw Heero waiting there, a small smile on his face and in his eyes as he looked at me. My heart jumped again- and I knew exactly why my heart was jumping this time! What the hell was Maxwell doing?!

"Oops sorry!" He'd felt me stiffen in alarm as I realized he was dragging me towards the exit with an arm slipped around my waist. "I forgot you're not into heavy touching." He winked at me, though he seemed suddenly flushed.

Into heavy- no I wasn't! Well, it wasn't that I minded- no I wasn't! Particularly when his boyfriend - who could break my bones like they were made of glass - was looking at us both in surprise!

"Heero," I said, trying to keep my voice level. For some reason I didn't even think to say 'Yuy', and I didn't notice my slip until he nodded and said: "Wufei."

"How nice, we're all on a first name basis now!" Duo smirked and I flushed, not knowing what to say. Heero just turned and walked in silence towards the car.

The ride back from the airport was pretty much as I expected. Heero drove in silence, mesmerizing blue eyes intent on the road, serious but radiating calm, soothing quiet. Duo twisted in the passenger seat to grin and chat with me, cheerful, friendly and witty. And I skulked in the back seat wishing Treize hadn't been such a selfish bastard who couldn't even be bothered to take a proper swing at me before kicking the bucket.

Their place was quite big so I couldn't pretend I was imposing and retreat to a hotel. I was stuck.

The house was standard, a modern, unassuming design, more than sufficient for two young men who were frequently away as it was. The furniture which had come with the house was neutral and bland. The touches of personality were few, but evocative. A huge sound system and violent-looking CDs, colourful books and magazines, sports equipment, Japanese books and unidentifiable engine parts.

"I'll get the couch ready for you!" Duo grabbed me by the hand and dragged me off to one side of the big living room and kitchenette. The only rooms on the ground floor were a bathroom and the small study where Heero's laptop reigned supreme. The couch unfolded into quite a big bed, and comfortable enough. It was pushed out of the way so I wouldn't be bothered by the others walking to and fro. The only thing near the bed was a small dresser where I could put my clothes. On it there was a photograph of the five of us, taken aboard Peacemillion shortly before Heero left to rescue Relena. Quatre and Trowa were standing side by side, Heero was ramrod straight at the center of the photo, Duo was leaning against his shoulder casually with a cheeky grin, I was far off to the side and turning away to leave and take care of Nataku.

"That's my room upstairs, and Heero's is the other one across the hallway."

I was so lost in the photo and the memories and the taste of past bitterness that it took a few seconds to register. Separate...bedrooms?

Well why not? They both led busy lives, and only occasionally followed the same routines. I knew married couples in the Preventers who had similar living arrangements.

We had dinner right away. Duo had cooked some casserole thing which only needed reheating, and which was quite palatable, though its contents could only have been identified through forensics. I relaxed infinitesimally during dinner. I'd been around Sally and her boyfriend during their courtship and it had been rather sickening, at least as far as Sally was concerned; cooing and trying to feed him with her chopsticks - for some reason he always seemed restrained not to say nervous when I was around, but I got enough of her display to put me off my food. I'd been dreading the same exhibition from my two friends. Nothing of the sort, we sat on three separate sides of the table and they acted, well, pretty much like friends with each other. Although it was hard to say; to my embarrassment they seemed mainly concentrated on me. Duo quickly resumed our play-sparring, and also asked me tons of questions about my last few assignments and what I'd been doing and who I'd been 'hanging with'. Heero said little, but he looked interested, smiled at our verbal dueling and occasionally asked intelligent and challenging questions about my solo missions which I was pleased to answer.

Then we talked about the mission. The timelines had been revised, it was going to start the next afternoon. I relaxed further. This was alright. This was fine! I didn't feel embarrassed or like I was intruding. They showed considerable restraint with each other, probably Heero's influence, to avoid making me feel ill at ease. And they made me feel very welcome and part of the team, which would be Duo's doing. These were my friends. It would be fine.

As we got into the details of the mission, I realized that they didn't need any open displays of affection. The way they worked and acted and thought together said more than three volumes of poetry about their relation. They complemented each others strong points perfectly, and they went together like clockwork; finishing each others sentences, communicating with a glance, splitting the work so swiftly and neatly I almost didn't realize they'd left me with hardly anything to do. They both seemed reluctant to let me take anything more than minor risks, which was strange and rather annoying. Once I put my foot down - and we determined that the perfect soldier and the god of death were no match for a stubborn dragon - the plans were redrawn more equitably.

Heero and Duo together were a formidable team. They'd done a thorough job gathering all the evidence they needed to put away the heads of a weapons factory, but they still had to bust the place itself. I was suddenly glad that Une had come up with the idea of sending me with them, even though I felt like an intruder in their harmonious partnership. The assignment was tough. There would be Preventer agents going in the front door, but to avoid loss of life, Une wanted the three of us to infiltrate the base from the back and attack their defences from the inside. Like we were taking down an OZ base, although without as many explosions (we made sure Duo understood this, and he made a show of looking pouty and disappointed). It was a big base, heavily guarded, and we weren't quite ready to die for our missions anymore. I was glad to be with them to make sure nothing happened to either of them. With an efficient soldier like Heero and a master of stealth like Duo, I might be redundant, but you can never have too many friendly eyes at your back.

And it was quite the fight. Heero and Duo did their magic, infiltrating inviolable rooms, hacking systems, causing chaos and confusion. But there were a lot of guards and they had quick trigger fingers. It got a bit messy at the end. I watched both their backs, but I had to work at it.

Duo's back was turned as he desperately tried to hack the program keeping the safety doors closed. The man who'd appeared silently behind him was aiming at the braided head at point blank range and I knew that even if I shot him his weapon would fire- I didn't hesitate, I barreled full into him, even though I couldn't capture the gun from that angle and insure my own safety. My elbow found his throat and he choked, swinging his gun towards me - I fired at the same time, the noise like a crack in the universe as his weapon discharged very near my ear.

An explosion of blood, a lot of it getting on my uniform. I wrenched myself from the body to make sure his stray shot hadn't hit Duo who had spun around, face white as he stared at me, horrified.

"Wufei - are you okay?!" His eyes flickered to me, but his attention and his drawn gun remained on the still figure at my feet.

"Fine."

"You sure?" He approached me and finally looked me over carefully. I actually had some flesh-wounds from shrapnel, but I decided to say nothing. Duo didn't like it when anyone in his 'family' was hurt, I remembered. I'd always sneered and considered it a weakness before. Now I felt my heart quiver at the look in those eyes and I lied for all I was worth.

"I'm fine. The blood is his." Well, most of it was. "Is the door open? You were going to go and guide in the troops, right?"

"Yes." He hesitated, eyes searching mine. Then the smile flitted across his face. The warmth dispelled the cold of shock I'd felt seeing that gun pointing at his head. "Wait around here, right? I'll- we'll head home and shower afterwards. I'll scrub your back if you scrub mine!" He did the wink thing again, it almost made a joke of the fact that we were both splattered with blood. How does he do it...?

He vanished like a puff of smoke, silent, invisible. I went back to the computer room to wait for reinforcements and make sure Heero wasn't similarly ambushed as he hacked the enemy's system, downloaded the evidence and ran interference to let our men through.

Finally Preventers started to run through the rooms, securing them.

"There are still some pockets of resistance, sir." A cadet came up, saluting me -he was at least two years older than I was - before nodding towards the door. "Is agent Yuy still working in there?"

"I'll check. Guard the door."

I walked in. From the lack of tension in Heero's strong shoulders as he sat in front of the monitors, I could tell he'd finished.

"Just me," I said prudently, to avoid getting shot.

"I know, I heard you through the door, watching my back." His voice was calm, but there was something in it that made my heart thrum. I dismissed it as he turned, probably my imagination.

"Are they - Wufei!?"

Heero had shot out of his chair as he caught sight of me. Duo had actually managed to make me forget that I was half covered in blood.

I glanced up from my sticky uniform and tainted skin as a strong arm grasped my shoulder, eyes and other hand quickly checked me over.

"I'm fine!" I snapped with my usual charm. "Someone else's blood."

Heero glared as he found the shrapnel holes in my clothes, leading to the small rips in the skin beneath, in my left arm and down one side.

"Flesh wounds," I said mulishly.

Heero almost smiled. "That's my line," he said, and I thought, he's been living with Duo too long if he can come up with a joke like that, however lame.

"I'll go check the perimeter," Heero said. "You go and get these checked out. They'll need stitches if you want them to heal properly." A slight smile indicated he wasn't suggesting I couldn't take care of myself.

"I'm fine," I repeated. And I was thinking: Duo is good for him, he never used to be able to laugh and smile like that before. Why did that thought hurt me? It was a good thing. I no longer knew what to think. I was tired, I was sore, I wanted to go home, back to my empty apartment, my solo missions, my predictable, simple life. "I'll see if I can catch a shuttle back to Earth today, it's not too late. I can swing by your place and-"

"You're leaving?" Heero stared at me. "So soon?"

"Do you need me for the report?" I asked, surprised and a bit uneasy. I suddenly thought it would be a good idea to leave as quickly as possible, especially as part of me rather didn't want to. "Or do you need me for cleanup operations?"

"I- " He hesitated. He still had his hands on my shoulders, I noticed. "I need you for- I-"

He wrenched me forward and crushed his lips into mine.

What-

_What the hell was going on?!_

What had come over Heero? This was wrong! I had to stop this!

That's what I was thinking, while my arms were twining around his neck, my lips were moving against his, my body clinging to the rock that was Heero.

"No!" I suddenly shouted as I pulled back, coming to my senses just as I was about to lose them entirely.

What I saw in his eyes - there are no words for that, the emotion there. I knew...he didn't say anything, he didn't need to. I knew.

I wrenched away from him and staggered to the door. I bowled over the cadet dutifully guarding it, and managed to get out into the corridor as Heero reached it.

"Wufei - wait!"

I ran on. I saw people approaching, fellow Preventers, I felt more than saw one of them motion towards Heero; knew that whatever he wanted to say to me, whatever was in those eyes, he'd be stuck here for awhile to finish the mission. I had to get the hell out of here before he was done.

I snagged a patrol car about to return to the city, had them drop me off at a taxi station at the edge of town, made it back to the house. I used the key they'd entrusted to me - had to remember to leave that here when I left - and staggered to the bed to get my duffel bag. I just wanted to get out of there, but the wild looks the taxi driver had given me reminded me I wouldn't get far without a shower. So I quickly rinsed off, washed my hair, changed into civvies, nearly ran back to the dresser, stuffed my things into my bag, closed it with a final sad metallic click-

"What- what are you doing?"

I spun with a horrified gasp. I'd heard nothing. Of all the people I didn't want to see right now, he was the second on my list.

"D-Duo."

Wide eyes on my bag. "You're leaving? What's wrong? You look upset."

"Nothing." My mask slipped back on so easily, and Duo looked uncertain. "I have to get back, I have something to do tomorrow on Earth."

"You do?" Duo looked intensely disappointed, he'd been chatting yesterday about all the fun things we could do on L2 once the mission was finished. "You sure you have to?"

"Very sure," I ground out. And regretted it when I saw the flash of pain in his eyes. Damn, as if I hadn't hurt him enough this evening - and how that hell had that happened?!

The guilt was eating away at me. I couldn't imagine why Heero had thought - but I couldn't actually swear I hadn't led him on, hadn't caused this, since deep down I knew that I had wanted those strong arms and hard lips on me since I'd seen him again, and maybe before that too.

I found Duo barring my progress across the living room to the exit.

"Duo, I have to-"

"Well even if you're running out now, we did put you up for a night! Right?" The jester's smile was brittle, his eyes were wide and full of pain, more than my mere departure could generate. I felt a moment of panic, did he know what had happened?

"Yes, yes you did, thanks for -"

"I'd say you owe me a little favour?"

I shuddered. "Duo, I can't stay-" 

"All I ask is that you don't kill me in the next five minutes."

"Don't-...what?" I stared at him as he took my bag from my hands, dropped it behind him, turned towards me, stepped right up to me and caressed my lips with his own.

I should have gone rigid - with shock if nothing else - but the warm body against mine felt so...tender right then; even though my mind was telling me this was a deadly killer, the god of death no less...the way he molded his body to mine made my arms reach out and enfold him gently of their own volition, and his lips were soft and warm against mine-

I wrenched away from him and staggered back.

"Wh-" I was speechless.

"Sorry," he whispered, a small smile on his face. "I guess that wasn't fair, but I thought it would be nice to know if you were straight or not before I ripped my heart out and shoved it at you."

"Heart?! Straight?! What?!" I think I said.

"I love you, Chang Wufei. Loved you since the war, practically from the minute I saw you. I...always hoped that one day you'd be able to give me a chance, that you'd get over all the horrible things they'd done to you, all that you'd lost...Maybe I was wrong." Eyes full of warmth and pain wrenched me to my soul.

"Are you both insane?!" The cry ripped itself out of me with liberating force, and Duo staggered back, eyes wide with alarm. "What's with you and Heero?! You two are together, why-"

"What? Me and Heero?" He blinked several times and that's when I knew, before he had to say another word. "Man, is that what you - oh, I can see why you're freaking out. No, Heero 'n me are just best friends."

"But you live together." The last protest before the insanity swallowed me whole.

"Er, yeah, we're roommates. That's all." He looked puzzled, but then hope crept onto his face like dawn over the horizon. "Yeah, no stress, buddy, we're just friends. Is that why you reacted like that? Don't worry about Heero - " I winced at the name. Just friends. Oh gods. " - there's...just you." He gave me a smile, much more timid than his usual one.

I felt like I was in Nataku's cold embrace again, sinking to the bottom of the ocean after Treize had knocked all my illusions out from under me and shown me what I really was. I spent the weeks after that trauma sulking and brooding and generally running away from the issues.

It'd worked once before, right?

I did my best not to hurt him, but when I brushed past him he still staggered and sank down onto the fold-out bed as if I'd struck him full-force. I dared not look back though, I couldn't. I bolted towards the door and ran right into a solid wall of steel muscles.

"Wufei?!" Oh great, the other person I didn't want to see ever again, even in my next reincarnation.

I tried to brush past him too as he barred the way out, but I might as well try to bowl over a Gundam. The hands on my shoulders were firm, and managed to keep me still even without hurting me. The only way I was going to get out was with a fight, and even then the odds were not in my favor.

"What are you-...Duo?!"

The hands vanished from my shoulders and he pushed past me to move towards Duo, still sitting - my soul twisted in me as I allowed myself one glance back- with raw hurt in his eyes.

Heero was at his side and the strong hands were on Duo's shoulders and the wide pained eyes were raised towards his. The sight encased me in ice, cutting me to the bone. What they shared - not love, but a great friendship nonetheless - was real, and pure and I-...and I-...

I shouted at the top of my lungs: "That's what counts! You're not supposed to- to-...not me! Stop being stupid and don't do this to yourselves!"

I bolted out the door as I saw them gape at me; Duo looked thunderstruck but Heero might try to catch me. I thought I heard him shout my name, but I was already out the door and into the street. No footsteps followed me. Good, perfect, he was staying with Duo. Friendship would hopefully prove stronger than some silly infatuation. At least I hoped so.

I pounded randomly through the streets, though I didn't think they'd try to follow me now. They must be busy explaining things to one another. I was ready to bet neither had known of the other's feelings towards me. Which meant I'd just run out on my friends after potentially ruining their partnership. What if they didn't realize that I was nothing worth arguing over? What if this stupidity really ruined things between them? Why was I running away like a weak coward when I should have made certain that they were working things out and that they knew they didn't really love me and I didn't love them and that-

I stopped. I sat down on a stone bench at the edge of a small run-down park. Right on cue it started raining. L2 weather maintenance at its best. The rain washed over me, if it could be called that; it was more a continuous leak in the climate control systems, letting rivulets of very cold water cascade down on unprotected fools in the dead of night.

I was running away from the truth because it was too hard for me to admit, at least while I was looking at them.

The truth was, part of me had been overjoyed to find that my two good friends were not a happy couple after all, and for a second or so I had not even cared that their friendship could be at risk over this.

In reality, I was lonely and I wanted someone.

And the real heart of the matter, the reason why I was now trying to shove them away and get them to forget me and resume my lonely life despite this was because...there was no way in hell that I could choose between them. And that would destroy all three of us.

What a low-down, weak, cowardly rat I was. I'd consistently lied to myself for ages. I had denied my feelings towards the both of them on the excuse that they were involved, and how quickly had I leapt on to that statement without any attempt to verify it or talk it over with them. No, I'd assumed it, and then instead of squashing my feelings, I had allowed myself to stupidly fall in love with both, under the cover of this supposed relationship they shared and that left me safely excluded, to feed whatever sick fantasies I wanted to knowing full well nothing could come of it.

But they weren't together. And they both loved me. And I...I loved them both. That was so wrong of me I couldn't even begin to think about it.

Damn you Treize...How come I'm always my own worst enemy in the end? Who will do me the favor of shooting me? Please?

The wail of siren and the snap of voices behind me might have been the answer to my prayers if I'd been a bit less numb with cold. I realized I had been sitting for a good amount of time in bloodied shirt-sleeves, my wounds bleeding again from the run, washed down with cold water like the rat I was, with my gun fully visible in its shoulder holster. That and the blood was eliciting a good deal of interest from local law enforcement, not the fact that I was a miserable, dishonorable dog who ruined everything he touched, which should have been a much better reason to shoot me.

Once they relieved me of my gun - I was too numb with cold to resist, unfortunately - they asked me my name.

I suggested they go fuck themselves as creatively as their limited intellects allowed them to. Not the best way to endear yourself to the local law enforcement agency.

They dragged me off to the station where they slapped a field dressing on my wounds before starting to ask me some serious questions. I was in a particularly bad mood, so I wasn't very helpful, and I'd left my bag, my jacket and all my ID back at-...I began to feel dizzy. Eventually they stopped pushing me around long enough to run my fingerprints through their database and come up with an answer from the Preventer files. I was feeling so tired and numb at that point - it was nearing three in the morning - that I didn't react as one of them called the local branch. One of the policemen thought there was some kind of major trick afoot; a young, uncooperative, bedraggled teen did not make a likely Preventer. He was giving me the first degree. I ignored him, sunk in despondency; next to OZ interrogators the man was a joke. I felt only a sense of inevitable catastrophe as Heero and Duo barged in to the room.

They stared at me and I could imagine what they saw: the proud dragon looking like a drowned rat, bloodied shirt partly cut away, almost blue with cold and swaying with fatigue that was far from physical. The cop was in the act of shaking me when they walked in, and he didn't look impressed at being faced with two more teenagers.

Until Shinigami made an appearance.

The cop manhandling me wilted like a flower under a sudden hailstorm. Heero put a practiced soothing hand on his partner's arm before the latter did something terminal. He'd not even had to look at Duo. It was the easy, instinctive partnership and friendship they'd shown towards one another during the war and afterwards, the one that had always excluded me. Why...why had they said they were in love with me? Right at that moment it seemed like a cruel joke. I didn't see how anybody would even want to be my friend.

Heero pulled his badge and did all the official stuff. Duo smiled like a death sentence behind him, expediting matters considerably. I just sat there like an idiot, a buzzing in my ears blotting out most of the conversation.

Watching them.

It looked like the solid friendship that linked them was still intact, their partnership was still strong.

I had been wrong to run. That was a dishonorable thing. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to make things right.

And watching them, I knew how. It was pretty damn obvious.

I followed them in silence back to the car. I said nothing on the way back, even when Duo tried to draw me out. I had a lot of practice ignoring those friendly blue eyes during the war. I did not respond to either of them as I went to take a shower; I was never going to be warm again, but that didn't matter. Then I went to bed. Duo looked like he was about to say something, but Heero shook his head, grabbed him by the hand and dragged him upstairs towards their rooms. Heero knew what a nasty creature a confused and angry dragon could be. I watched them through closed lashes as I pretended to sleep without even thanking them for taking me back into their home I'd invaded. My eyes followed them as they went up the stairs hand in hand.

Perfect.


	4. 4 Your Sakes

I woke three hours later with the smell of breakfast twisting my stomach from the kitchen area. Duo was sitting at the kitchen counter, serious eyes on me, though he smiled slightly as I slowly got up.

"Come and get something to eat if you feel up to it, Wufei. Heero's already left, but I thought you needed something more consistent than a protein bar."

I went to the bathroom without a word and got dressed in the only clothes I had left, a pair of sweatpants and a jumper. I tightened my hair into a punishing ponytail, despite the beginnings of a headache clamping down on my forehead. I could hardly bear to glance in the mirror, but I thought I looked as unappealing and severe as I could manage. Duo was still sitting in the same position when I came back out. He glanced up at me as I sat down at the counter and stared at the plateful of toast, bacon and eggs he'd made me.

"Yeeeah, I can see why you ran out like a scalded cat yesterday." Duo smiled ruefully, his eyes still pained. "Heero 'n me had a talk. So apparently we both fell for you, and kind of jumped you barely thirty minutes apart. And you thought we were together. No wonder you bolted."

I stared down at breakfast without picking up my fork.

He hopped down from the stool and slowly walked around the counter. "Are you feeling okay?"

I nodded.

"Oh. Good." He hesitated, then stepped up, slid his arms around me, lifted his lips towards mine.

For a moment I let it happen. I lost myself in the warmth that tried to dispel the cold that had settled into my bones last night. I could allow myself this much; the rest was going to hurt enough. I pressed the warm body against my own, felt a flutter of eyelash against my cheek, his heart beating against mine...Then I pulled away, gently but firmly.

Duo stared at my shoulder for a few seconds, flushed, eyes distant. Then he smiled, a real honest smile, though his eyes were sad.

"Thanks. I guess I wanted to do that when you weren't freaking out. I...thanks. I..." He put his head against my shoulder and spoke into the cloth of my jumper. "What you said last night. Shouted, actually. Maybe I was being stupid, to fall for you during the war. You were so strong, so proud, so resolved. You were inspiring, and breathtaking, and honorable even in the midst of that messed-up shit-storm. You beat your own weaknesses and your pain and just carried on regardless. I wanted to help you, to make you feel better, but you didn't need me to...you didn't even know I existed. I...I guess I tried a little too hard, uh?

"Well, I've been thinking since last night. You and Heero, it makes sense, you know? You're a lot alike. When you guys are together, you just shine. You're fucking forces of nature. And I...well, I know you're a good guy-" I hid my internal wince "-and you have a strong, steady heart and that's good. I wouldn't trust Heero to just anybody, 'cause he's not used to all these emotions. He doesn't need a broken heart right now, and you should hear the way he talks about you; he's really fallen for you hard. I guess what I'm saying is that you'd be great together. Don't worry about me, I'll just find some other gorgeous Asian guy to cuddle up with. Okay?"

He waited for me to say something. I didn't. He hesitantly lifted his head, stared. I stared back, silent.

He shrugged, uncertain and pained, and drew away. "Well, I said my piece. I better get to the office, we're still busy cleaning up after that last mission. Both Heero 'n me will be up to our necks in paperwork for most of the day. Can you-...could you please stay until we get back? I think you and Heero need to talk, and, well...anyway I'll see you tonight, I guess. Bye." He left quickly without a backward glance, his shoulders slumped.

I stared blindly at the kitchen counter for awhile. When that got boring I cleaned up the plate - I hadn't touched the food - and went to get the photo from the dresser and sat back down at the counter and looked at that. It made things pretty clear.

I didn't feel the time go by, but a click at the door made me glance at my watch. Noon.

Heero walked in, carrying some bags. The smell of miso soup twisted my stomach.

He put the bags down on the counter carefully and then gave me one of his long, steady looks. I looked back, but said nothing.

Finally he went to the kitchen, took out a serving spoon and chopsticks, prepared a plate for me. He came up behind me, put the plate down, then slowly circled my shoulders and pressed himself against my back. I leaned back against the firm chest, relaxed a little, let myself go for just a few moments. I tilted my head sideways and he leaned forward and caught my lips in a firm kiss, arms pressing me, encircling me. I lost myself in that comforting embrace, firm lips taking mine, the feel of his body against me. Then I turned away, breaking the contact.

He stood behind me still, and put his chin on my shoulder.

"I know that you hadn't expected me to grab you like that yesterday." His voice was firm, abrupt as he launched straight into the heart of the matter. "I can't even really say why I did it. Emotions are things I find hard to understand, even my own. I know that during the war, I admired your capacity to follow your feelings, something I'd been told to do myself but had never been able to. You felt everything so vividly, so strongly. But it didn't make you weaker, on the contrary. Your emotions gave you a conviction and a certitude that had merely been imposed on me. You could even question yourself and then come back all the stronger. I...couldn't do that. I bottled it all up. It wasn't until after the war that I wondered why I couldn't stop thinking about you. I asked Une for that mission because I wanted to know why that was. I guess I found out."

I said nothing. There wasn't anything to say, and I had my plan already made. Besides I was waiting for the next part of his speech which was going to come with magnificent inevitability, I just knew it.

"About Duo." Knew it. "I can see why you'd be attracted to each other, and I think that's an acceptable solution. I guess that next to the both of you, I'm emotionally stunted. It took me awhile to figure out that all the fighting you two do is just playful. I don't even get most of his jokes, and you've got the wit to more than keep up with him. You two have managed to keep your emotions intact and so strong, even though you've both lost so much. He has lost a lot in his life, you know. I don't want him to lose anything else. He feels things so strongly. I won't miss something I've never had, but he'd be devastated. He's loved you since he met you, and he always gives himself one hundred percent, you know that."

Heero was silent after that exceptionally long speech. I didn't think he was waiting for me to say anything though. He just held me for a few more moments, then slowly took his arms away from me.

"You're feeling a bit warm," he added unexpectedly. I guess I was a bit feverish. My body was unhappy about the last twenty-four hours. I wasn't overjoyed about them myself. "Try to eat and get some rest. I have to go back to the office. Duo said something stupid about leaving to stay with Quatre later today, but I'll drag him home tonight if I have to carry him, and you two can talk."

He left without a further word or a backward glance.

I stared at the soup and soba noodles. I glanced at the photo, at the two in the center.

"You are both very stupid, you know that?" I told them in no uncertain terms. I threw away the soup and put the food in the fridge and went back to staring at the counter. Finally I lay down to sleep for the little that was left of the afternoon.

I woke up feeling a bit better, at least physically. My training allowed me to recuperate quickly from a few minor wounds and a thorough icy drenching. As for my center, my balance, my cold equanimity, I would get that back just as quickly once I'd sorted things out, and it was apparently time to do so; both Heero and Duo had just come in and were looking down at me from the foot of the bed with faintly worried expressions. I straightened up slowly to a sitting position, legs folded as if to meditate, looking cold, distant and collected as I had during the war, staring back up at them.

"Hey Wuffee, you okay? You look a bit flushed still."

"I'm fine," I said, which was almost the truth. "And we need to get some things straight," I continued, not wasting a second to set my plan in motion. "I want you to both shut up and listen to me without saying anything until I tell you to. I mean it Duo," I added as he opened his mouth. "I both listened to you two earlier, now it's my turn."

They glanced at each other, Duo uncertain, Heero frowning. Then they nodded.

"Fair enough, Fei. I guess you are pretty involved, after all! Ha, you could even say that your opinion is the one that matters the most-"

"Duo."

"Oh, sorry."

"Right." I rubbed my eyes, which were gritty. I felt cold and clammy and fragile inside, but I knew I showed nothing but the firm resolve which was going to get me through this. "In case you haven't compared notes yet, you both gave me virtually the same speech today. The one where you said you'd step aside since I was going to be happier with the other. Shut up," I added as they both glanced wildly at each other and Duo opened his mouth. "That shows me that whatever insane notion you have about me hasn't damaged what's really important here, and that's what's between the two of you. The really funny part - " for some reason I wasn't laughing " - is that the things you said you loved about me, you can find in each other in spades. More than you can ever find in a cynical, short-tempered misanthrope like myself. So really the solution to this problem should be so obvious, I'm surprised the two of you took so long to figure it out."

We stared at each other. They looked at me solemnly and said nothing. I scowled.

"Come on, don't be idiots. You obviously care deeply about each other's happiness - more than you care for your own, or for me, I'd say, since you were in such a hurry to give me up." Duo tensed and opened his mouth again, but Heero put a hand on his shoulder and he subsided with a mulish look. I nodded slightly. Good, this was how it was supposed to happen. "Why you two idiots haven't gotten together before is beyond me. If you'd heard Sally go on and on about how 'opposites attract' you'd have given up and eloped ages ago. You two are obviously made for each other. So...just wake up and get together and leave me out of it already." I managed a pretty good glare. Heero showed no emotions whatsoever, Duo's eyes widened a little but he said nothing.

I waited. They still said nothing.

I started to frown. I'd prepared that speech all day, and I knew it had been a good one, outlining the inevitable with almost scholarly precision. And without embarrassing me by revealing more than I wanted to. It was perfect, so what were they waiting for?

Duo raised a finger.

"Are we allowed to say something now?"

I cursed to myself in Mandarin. "Yes," I said warily.

"Okay. Good. I just have a question. Thanks for giving us a good insight into our own feelings and calling us idiots and all that, but how exactly do you feel about us?"

Damn. I gave a quick brush of my hand and an arrogant look down my nose - which goes to show how much I'd mastered the gesture, since I was still sitting on the bed and they were standing looking down at me.

"Feel? I will feel very happy when you two fools can sort yourselves out and realize you're obviously made for each other," I said coldly.

Duo's eyes fell, but Heero's narrowed.

"That wasn't what he meant," he said, his voice sharp. "Do you love one of us?"

"No," I said truthfully but much too quickly and my eyes had flinched away. "If I did, then I wouldn't be shoving you together now would I?" I quickly elaborated, to avoid any further discussion on the subject.

"That _would_ be stupid if you had feelings for one of us," Heero agreed, crossing his arms across his chest and staring at me. "As stupid as me shoving you and Duo together even though I-...love you." The unusual word left his mouth as if he were surprised at the taste of it. "As stupid as Duo -"

"Yeah okay, I got that part." Duo's violet-blue eyes were glittering at me in the failing light. "As for me, there's something I don't get. I think I know my grouchy dragon pretty well, and it strikes me as weird, now that I think about it, that you didn't kick one of our asses when we pulled a move on you yesterday. It must have come as an unwelcome surprise from at least one of us."

"Er-"

"Or that you're still here now, if you didn't care for either." Heero's eyes were narrowed still more. "And you still haven't told us how you felt towards us."

"What does that matter?" I snapped. "What matters is what you feel towards each other, not what I feel towards you both."

"Ah," Heero said, suddenly nodding. "Both."

Why had my ancestors given me a tongue...?

At Heero's words and the look on my face, Duo's eyebrows shot up. He stared, mouth open. "Oh. Oh, is that the problem?!"

"What? No!" I said, then realized that by denying it I was actually admitting I knew what he was talking about and that rather confirmed it. "Look, you're both my friends-"

"Friends don't kiss each other like we did this morning," Duo said, scratching the tip of his nose, eyes incandescent. "Oh, and to address this whole 'let's get Duo and Heero packaged off' deal, the bit about 'opposite attracts' only works in the movies. In real life, Heero and I work good together, but we can't share a house for more than a month without driving each other crazy. That's why it's good we have missions and stuff to get us out and about."

"That's stupid," I said, mouth going dry. They were both looking at me in a strange way, and I couldn't blame them; I was squirming in horror under the weight of my revealed secret, my shame. Was this insanity of mine going to pull them apart? Destroy the harmony I had seen between them, whatever Duo said? I had to convince them- "You just haven't really tried it. You've always been busy each with your own thing, but if you actually set your mind to it you could easily share more than a house."

"Oh, you want us to try to share something?" Duo said, suddenly grinning like a loon.

"Yes, I'm sure you can make it work if you tried."

"Oh, I'm sure we could, if we tried hard enough." He was grinning at Heero, who was staring at him, puzzled. I wasn't sure why he was suddenly so cheerful...but then Heero smiled a bit too, as the unspoken communication that exists between close friends worked right under my nose. I was actually seeing it happen. The two men I loved were falling for each other, and I was a witness, soon to be gone from their lives and back to my own solitary one. I was so happy that I began to list all of Treize's ancestors in my mind; the insult of not killing me before all this ripped me apart was too great, I was going to have to curse the dogs that had bred him as well as the arrogant bastard himself.

"Right, just...go ahead and- and kiss each other or something," I said briskly. That would put the final nail in my coffin, and erase the aching memory of those two embraces I'd received earlier. "Come on!" I ordered tartly as they stared at me. "Do it! I'm not leaving until I'm sure you idiots are not going to screw up again. And then I'll gladly get out of here, because it was hard enough to see Sally get all gooey and silly when she was falling for her husband. Come on."

Heero and Duo stared at each other intently, there was a whole conversation in their eyes, one I was not party to. Not that it was any of my business now.

As I watched them, a small measure of peace soothed my pain. The tension had left Heero's shoulders, the little lines of hurt had smoothed from around Duo's bright eyes. I'd made a right mess of it all, but now I had set it right, and these two fools would be happy. How could I have chosen one over the other? Even if my heart had let me, I would never have been able to leave one of them crushed and broken out in the cold. Me? I was used to loneliness, and I was cold enough to freeze space according to most of my colleagues; this was just going back to the norm.

Duo grinned and launched himself at Heero - taking us both a little by surprise, I hadn't expected quite that much enthusiasm.

Neither had Heero. He hadn't expected the hug to end in a headlock either.

"Hah, made you blink!" Duo said, laughing as he forced Heero to bend over and nearly tumbled him on to the bed.

"Maxwell!" I snarled, scandalized. But Heero Yuy didn't need my pitiful assistance. His eyes narrowed dangerously and his hands shot out in a perfectly coordinated attack. Duo hollered and tried to keep his hold on Heero's neck, but it was hopeless. He cried out again as Heero, released, was able to use his whole body as leverage with deadly effect.

"You'll note, Wufei, that he's particularly ticklish on the sides, here, just below the ribs," Heero told me with clinical precision.

"Heero - no fair!" Duo shouted in between fits of hopeless laughter.

"Actually his feet are the worse, but he's wearing shoes so I can't demonstrate it right now."

"Hee-! Sto-op! I -!"

"Why he insists on attacking me when I know his weaknesses is beyond me," Heero said disapprovingly. Duo collapsed onto the end of the bed, convulsing and breathless and trying to squirm away.

"Yuy! I was serious!" I shouted, but I don't think he heard me above the noises Duo was making.

"I'm just glad OZ didn't try this when they had him captive," Heero said, putting a knee on the bed and leaning over a writhing pilot.

"Oh! Wu-Wufee! He-help!" Duo shouted, trying to protect his sides against the relentless assault.

I stared at the two of them in confusion. But...this was good, right? Not quite the romantic clench I'd hoped for - dreaded - but this warm, friendly tussle was also affection in its way. I felt it rise up in me and I was helpless to stop it; a choking, hysterical laughter as I watched the perfect soldier, face oh-so-serious but eyes shining, 'torture' the dreaded god of death.

They would be fine. I wouldn't. I buried my face in my hands as the laughter shattered me like glass. I hid myself because I don't laugh out loud in public, and because I was terrified that I would start crying too.

I needed them. I needed them both so badly.

Two bodies barreled into mine and pinned me back against the bed.

They held me close as I shuddered and let the sick laughter and the pain drain away slowly.

Heero had wrapped his strong arms around my shoulders. One hand rubbed the top of my arm, comforting. Duo was hugging me around the waist, face pressed into my chest, one leg curling up, draping his body over mine like a blanket.

"What are you fools doing?" I finally managed to whisper. Night had fallen, it was dark in the room, the only light crept into the window from the streetlights clawing through the gloom outside.

"Screwing up!" Duo said in a chirpy tone against my chest, his breath tickling me through my jumper.

"...What?" I muttered.

"You said you wouldn't leave until you made sure we weren't going to screw up," Heero reminded me in a precise voice, his breath moving my hair against my ear.

"But..." I was suddenly so tired.

"But we promise to try to share!" Duo said, a grin in his words.

"Hn."

"Share..." I stared at the ceiling, disappearing in darkness. Share?

"You're not suggesting..." My eyes closed with the inevitability of it all.

"Yes."

"Sure thing! I mean, since we're all so ready to give each other up rather than hurt each other, why don't we try to not hurt each other while we both get you as well?"

Heero and I were silent for a few seconds while we sorted that one out in our heads, then I felt him nod against my shoulder.

"But that's..." I tried to rally the horror I should feel at that scandalous suggestion. "That's just unheard of, that's-"

"Boy, Fei, you need to get out more."

"Or read some of Duo's books," a voice muttered in my ear.

"But- but what will people say?" I started to rally. There was no way this insanity was going any further.

"Hmm, dunno. That we're three lucky bastards?" I could feel Duo grin against my chest.

"They probably won't be saying that," Heero said seriously. "But I for one don't care. Do you?"

Did I? The two dozen people who knew me thought I was a heartless, hot-tempered, punctilious bastard for the most part. The half dozen I actually cared about would probably be happy for me...

"No, I don't care," I said. "But you do realize this is a stupid idea."

"Hn."

"Totally insane," Duo agreed.

"This doesn't have a chance of working," I said more forcefully, still staring at the ceiling.

"Probably not."

"Not a chance in hell, I'd say." I could feel Duo nod vigorously.

"So why don't you just let me go and-"

"Because we'd just follow you anyway," Heero said firmly.

"Damn right. Hell, we won't even let you out of the house. Hey, 'Ro, we have any handcuffs?" My eyebrows shot up.

"No, but don't worry." Strong arms pressed me further into a firm chest. "He's not going anywhere."

My sanity tried one last protest even as my entire being started to tremble with an unaccustomed feeling of incredulous elation. "You are both being very stupid."

"Yeah," Duo said with a yawn. They had also not had much sleep last night. "We'd have to be to fall in love with-...what was it?"

"A cynical, short-tempered misanthrope, he said." Heero's voice was softer now. I could feel long lashes flutter against my cheek.

"When you both wake up to that fact," I said sharply, "you'll-...you'll leave me." And that was the basis of it, the reason I was so afraid of letting them in, letting anyone near, why I had so desperately wanted to believe they were together and didn't love me. I'd gone insane when Meiran had been torn from me. And I could love these two so much more than that obnoxious fourteen year old scholar had ever loved his strong-willed vivacious wife. What if-...what if...

The arms around my shoulders and waist tightened.

"We're quite aware what a first-class grouch you can be, dragon," Duo sniffed.

"You won't get rid of us that easily," Heero said softly. "I'm willing to try. I love you too much not to. I'm even willing to put up with Duo's jokes and bad habits to-"

"Hey! Well, I guess I can put up with soldier boy's anal streak and _his_ bad habits which are a lot worse than-" I tugged his braid and he took the hint.

I lay there, head swimming. I felt like crying, or laughing, or...

A cool hand brushed my cheek. "You're still warm. I noticed you haven't eaten all day and I bet you didn't rest much either. It's going to be a two-man mission to take care of you, I think."

"Yeah, this guy's high maintenance I bet." Duo chuckled, squeezing me.

"We should let you rest-" But I caught the arm as I felt their hold loosen.

"Don't leave me!" I said, in a voice I could barely recognize as my own.

"Shh, we won't." The arms tightened around my shoulder again as Heero leaned his head against mine. Duo curled up against my side and hugged me and rubbed my thigh gently, as if reassuring the fallen dragon that the fate in store for it wasn't going to be so bad after all. And as I sank into their arms, their touch, I found myself agreeing, and thinking that, all problems and complications and extreme insanity aside, despite it all...Chang Wufei was a lucky man.

I blinked my eyes, drowsy, light-headed. If this turned out to be some weird fever-dream and I woke up alone tomorrow...

Then I'd have to go hunt them down, wouldn't I.

Could we make it work? Really? The question drifted through my mind as my eyes closed, heavy as a promise I had to keep. Could the three of us make it work? It would take a miracle.

Well, we'd ended a war. And made it out alive. And found a place in a Peace we knew nothing about. Three miracles already.

Heero held me against him, arms around my shoulders, comforting. My hand was wrapped around his strong wrist. Duo curled up besides me, breath slowing against my chest, my fingers woven into the strands of his braid. I felt safe and warm.

Beautiful symmetry. Peace at last.

End of story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are more chapters to this, but I felt them to be more a sequel, so I will add them as a second part to the series.


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